| Imagine a feeling of harmony, a sense of oneness | | | | people believe they can't sing. AND then it |
| with those around you, and, at the same time | | | | spreads into NOT being able to express yourself |
| experiencing a lovely, gentle, sense of yourself, in | | | | clearly, feeling repressed and deeply undervaluing |
| fact a real connection with both yourself and your | | | | yourself. |
| community. Sound too good to be true... no, not | | | | Listening to others without judgment or criticism |
| at all, it can be just as simple as coming together | | | | allows the space for them to feel the freedom to |
| and singing. | | | | express themselves. In a community choir you |
| Now you may say that's fine for those who can | | | | need to hear and attend to your neighbours at |
| sing, but I can't. Well the fact is that we were all | | | | the same time as expressing yourself fully. If you |
| born with a beautiful voice! Working together to | | | | become self-centred and just go for it without an |
| re-discover our natural resonant voice is a path to | | | | awareness of the overall sound, (the big picture,) |
| knowing ourselves and re-discovering what makes | | | | your voice will no longer be contributing to the |
| a community tick. | | | | One Voice, which is the overall sound of the |
| Many of the qualities that make a community | | | | group. This can only be self-serving and fractures |
| function well are represented, as a microcosm, in | | | | the sense of oneness in the developing |
| the community choir. One of them is the ability to | | | | community, (or choir). |
| truly listen. Community awareness is underpinned | | | | When everyone starts to claim their true selves, |
| by good listening, but really it first starts in our | | | | their sound becomes resonant and clear, and |
| own backyard, that is, with ourselves. | | | | there is also an innate alignment that happens |
| When you start to listen to yourself and begin to | | | | within the tone of the group. This becomes very |
| really feel what is going on in your own body you | | | | apparent in traditional community choirs in Europe |
| are able to bring an awareness to your life that | | | | where the tone of the voices align to become a |
| creates a new, truer foundation. Then, as you | | | | feature in themselves. |
| start to let go of the old negative patterns and | | | | When people discover their Natural Voice there is |
| beliefs that you have about yourself and your | | | | a sense of oneness that develops, not just for |
| self-expression, the true 'you' can emerge. | | | | themselves, but for all that they are a part of. |
| We have often been working at life through a veil | | | | The sound grows together as one, everyone is |
| of old beliefs. Feelings of 'I don't deserve to be | | | | fulfilled, and there is no separation. When we |
| heard', or having to push to be heard... are swept | | | | come together with this awareness it cannot help |
| aside as we 'do our best ' to be part of our | | | | but to benefit the individual, the family and the |
| families and society. | | | | community. |
| These are also the hindrances that end up making | | | | |